Gas and liquid filter/separator



IFels. 19, 1957 M. w. THOMPSON ND LIQUID FILTER/SEPARATOR GAS A Filed Jan. 2l, 1955 All?, t..

United States Patent O GAS AND LIQUID FILTER/SEPARATOR Malcolm W. Thompson, Tulsa, Okla.

Application January 21, 1955, Serial No. 483,292

2 Claims. (Cl. 2141-120) The present invention relates to filters, and more particularly to a means for increasing the filtering surface area of a iilter element for use in filtering a gas or la liquid.

A number of types of filters have been produced and are available on the open market for filtering gas and the like. Most of these have the common -rdisadvantage of having a limited capacity which isI governed by the surface area of the filter element. In other Words, the area or surface of the filter will Ionly permit a certain maximum amount or volume of the gas or iiuid being cleaned to pass through the element ina given amount of time before the surface of the filter is 4covered with extraneous matter. Accordingly it is necessary to install a larger lter and element when it is necessary to filter a larger volumeof gas.

VIt 'is .the primary object of this invention to provide a filter which may be `comparatively small, and yet will have-a large filtering capacity, n

Another object of this .invention is to provide a filter which will efficientlyk clean and keep clean the filtered 4product over a longer vperiod of time than a conventional 'filter of a comparable size. Y

Another object of this inventionis Ato provide a filter-of the class described which may use a conventional type of filtering element.

.A further object of this invention is to provide a filter having a cleaning element which may be easily replaced.

IAn additional object is to provide a Yfilter of this class which requires little or no attention after being placed in operation.

- The ypresent invention accomplishes these and other `objects by providing a partitioned tubular jacket having closed Vends and perforated 4tubular "members: aligiiedly 'connected on either side of the partition for communication through the partition. The filter element is placed "longitudinallyy around each respective tubular Vmember is sealed against vthe partition by 'a sleeve rigidly connected tothe partition L'and extending linto each respectivev filter element. f Y

Other objects will be apparent from `the following descripti-on when taken in conjunction the accompanying single sheet of drawings,wherein: v

Figure l is' a vertical cross-sectional View of the device;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of one embodiment of the filtering element per se;

-Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectionalA vieu taken substantially along line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Figur-e 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the ltering element; and

AFigure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View illustrating an alternate sealing means. Y

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In ,the drawings: p

`The reference numeral 5 indicates the device, as a whole, comprising a tubular jacket 8 having a pair of IGC 5 Yas by welding, an annular flange 16. Diametrically the flange i6 is slightly larger than the jacket 8 and has a centi-,al aperture l.of a selected size. A disk 13 is flatly connected to the flange t6 by .suitable bolts 20 for closing the aperture withinA the ange. The opposite end of ythe jacket 8 is closed by a friction fitting, as shown, or thieadedly engaged cap 22. Y

'Intermediate its ends the interior of the jacket is provided with an annular ring- 24, rigidly connected to the wall of the `jacket 8. A partit-ion 26 having a diameter substantially equal to .the bore of the jacket 8 and in relation thereto is rigidly disposed within `the .interior i4 adjacent said annular ring 26E. The partition has a central perforation -27 of a selected size. A tubular member 28 having a plurally perforated wall is rigidly connected at one end, as by welding, 'to one kSide `of the partition 26 and projects longitudinally within the jacket 3 ending abruptly in parallel spaced-apart relation with the disk 18. Diametrically the bore of the tubular member 28 is substantially equal with relation to the perforation 27.

, A comparatively short tubular sleeve Sil substantially larger, diametri'eally, than the member 23 is longitudinally 4disjiosed within the jacket 3 with one end rigidly connected to the partition 26 in concentric relation with the member 2S. Y i

A second tubular member 32, similar to the member 28, having a plurally perforated wall and one closed end 34, has its open end rigidly connected to the side of the partition opposite vthe member 23 for communication with -t'lie member 253 through the perforation '27 A -second similar 'tubular sleeve 35 is similarly connected at one end to Vthe partition 25 in concentric relation with t-he member 32.

A filter element d@ of conventional material, for eX- ample liber glass, cylindrical in general configuration and of a selected diameter, preferably smaller than the hollow interior 14 ofthe jacket v8, has a central longitudinally Vextending aperture d2. The size of the aperture 42 is .such that it 'is closely received by the periphery of the tubular members 2S and 32. The periphery 44 of the element 4d .is preferably provided witha plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 46 cut into the element 49 a selected depth. The purpose of the grooves 46 is to enlarge the surface area of the element et?. Thus it seems evident that a vlarger amount of extraneous matter may be trapped on the surface of the grooved element 4% than would be possible with an element having 'a smooth periphery.

Fig. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment fltAof the 'l the partition 26, and as the element contacts the sleeve '36) it penetrates the filter element 4i), as shown. The purpose of the sleeve 30 is to prevent any of the fluid Vor gas, not shown, from leaking by the inwardly disposed end of the element 4b., This type of seal is capable of easily withstanding higher pressure drops,r upto a hundred pounds per square inch gas, without by-pass leakj age. The opposite or free end of the element 40 is sealedV suitable material,4 glued to the eleby adisk 49, of any ment 40. ,Y

The cap 22 is removed and a second length of lter or coalescing element S0, identical with relation to the element 40 and equal to the length of the member 32, is similarly placed within the opposite side of the lter jacket 8 around the member 32 with one end sealed adjacent the opposite side of the partition 26 by the sleeve 36. The element 50 is held on the member 32 by a tubular cap 52. The wall 53 of the cap projects into the body of the element 50 and thus prevents any channeling or leaking of the filtered product along the wall of the member 32 and out at the end of the element `50. The cap 52 is flatly held in place adjacent the end 34 by a bolt 54 threadedly engaged with the closed end 34 of the member 32.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. '5, an alternate embodiment of sealing the element 40 with the partition 26 is shown. A tubular member 28A similar t-o the member 28 having a plurally perforated wall has the end rigidly connected to the partition 26 liared or tapered outwardly slightly as at 56. The tapered portion S6 is preferably large enough, diametrically, to tightly engage the bore 42 of the element 40 and eifect a seal therewith.

Operation In operation the filter has its inlet ports 10 connected to the source of gas or fluid to be iltered in a conventional manner, not shown, and the outlet port 12 is similarly connected to convey the cleaned product on its way. The gas or tiuid enters the element 40, deposit ing all extraneous matter on the surface 44 of the element. The cleaned gas or uid passes through the perfo rations of the member 28 and into the member 32 through the perforation 27. Then the cleaned product passes out through the perforations of the member 32 and is further filtered by the element 50. Any moisture or other liquid content which may remain in the cleaned product which it is desired to have removed tends to coalesce on the surface of the element 5t). The moisture, and the like, not shown, may be drawn off periodically from the jacket, if desired, by a drain outlet, not shown. The finely divided fibers of the elements 40 and 50 insure the complete cleaning of any gas or liquid passing through them. Obviously the elements 40 or 50 may be replaced as needed by removing the disk 18 or the cap 22. It seems equally obvious that only one side portion or half of the filter 5, as shown, may be used if desired.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change y partition in said jacket between said inlet and said out-V let, a fluid passage through said partition, a iirst perforate l tubate member connected at one end to the inlet side of said partition, a second perforate tubate member con- 4 nected at one end to the outlet side of said partition, said ends of said tubate members which are connected to said partition being in iiuid communication with each other through said Huid passage, a first cylindrical librous filter element disposed on said first tubate member, a second cylindrical librous filter element disposed on said` second tubate member, means to seal the ends of each of said iibrous filter elementsY to prevent uid bypass around said iilter elements and into said tubate members, the seal on said second lilter element including substantially coaxial sleeves penetrating both ends of said second filter element, and means to maintain said second filter element in compression between said coaxial sleeves.

2. A liquid and gas filter, including: a hollow cylindrical jacket having closed ends, said jacket having an inlet port adjacent a first end and an outlet port adjacent the end opposite said first end; a centrally bored partition rigidly carried centrally by said jacket; a iirst tubate member having an open end and a closed end, said open end being rigidly connected to one side of said partition and extending longitudinally within said jacket toward said first end; a second tubate member having an open end and a closed end, said open end rigidly connected to the side of said partition opposite said iirst described side thereof, for communication with the first said tubate member through said partition, the closed end of said second tubate member disposed in spaced-apart relation with the closed end of said jacket opposite said first end, said tubate members each having a plurality perforated wall; a first cylindrical iibrous filter element disposed within said jacket around said first tubate member with one end of said first filter element disposed adjacent said partition; cap means to retain said iirst filter element on said -irst tubate member; la second fibrous tilter element disposed within said jacket around said second tubate member, said second element having a length substantially equal with relation to said second tubate member; a tubate cap disposed adjacent the closed end of said second tubate member, the wall of said cap projecting into the adjacent end of said second filter element; means for attaching said cap to the closed end of said second tubate member; and concentrically disposed sleeves rigidly connected at one end to each side of said partition, each one of said sleeves projecting into one end `of each respective iilter element for sealing said one end of each said iilter element with said partition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 388,017 Brownlow Aug. 21, 1888 511,757 Criqui Jan. 2, 1894 1,663,322 Tekavec Mar. 20, 1928 2,016,161 Wilderrnan Oct. 1, 1935 2,265,550 Smith Dec. 9, 1941 2,339,703 Kamrath Jan. 18, 1944 2,617,986 Miller Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 303,961 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1929 751,730 'France Sept. 9, 1933 

